Rahul Dravid (The Wall, Mr, Dependable)

Rahul Dravid is hailed as India’s most dependable batsman. Dravid, who started his cricket at 12, grew up playing in the streets of Bangalore. His school, St. Joseph’s had a good team and Dravid did well in the junior tournaments to get selected in the State under-15, under-17 and under-19 tournaments. Dravid was fortunate to have someone like G.R. Vishvanath to help him. In 1996 in England he almost alone of the younger Indian batsman, proved to have the technique to cope with conditions that aided seam and swing. Rahul has been one of the pillars of the Indian batting with his blend of technical proficiency, patience and stylish strokes.

A number of times he has bailed India out of trouble and to top it win it for India. There isn’t another player in World Cricket who has performed so consistently in crunch situations as much as Dravid. Dravid has matured so much as a cricketer over the years that even the former greats; hail him as one of the best technicians and crisis man of all eras. Having a cricketer like Dravid adds such an assurance to the entire team as well as the supporters. The top order thought that they can play the way they want knowing that Dravid is there to stop any possible hiccups. The lower order was always calm to see Dravid ‘The Wall’ on the crease.

He was so different. Staid, studious, sweat trickling down that austere face. When he was captain, his answers seemed, so rehearsed. What a value-add he was to the Star team!

For sheer consistency, Dravid has few equals. He has maintained a Test career average of over 50. Dravid is very much like the batsman who likes to play his shots, mostly on the rise, relying more on timing than brute force. His temperament is exemplary and his concentration legendary. A batsman who revels in crisis, Dravid against New Zealand in January 1999, joined the ranks of Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar as one of only three Indians to have scored a century in each innings in a Test.

He is one of the modest, unassuming and well-behaved players of Indian cricket time. Most recently he has been awarded the Wisden Test Player Award for his excellent performance in the previous season. A cool head over the shoulder makes him the most sought player on the cricketing world arena.

Full name:             Rahul Sharad Dravid

Born:                      January 11, 1973, Indore, Madhya Pradesh

Major teams:       India, Asia XI, ICC World XI, Karnataka, Kent, Marylebone Cricket Club,                  Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore

Nickname:            The Wall, Mr. Dependable, Jammy

Batting style:        Right-hand bat

Bowling style:      Right-arm offbreak

Education:             St. Joseph's Boys' High School

Some stats of Dravid:

Rahul Sharad Dravid became the 207th player to represent India in Test matches

1999 edition of the ICC World Cup in England: With 461 runs from 8 games that India played, Dravid emerged as the highest run getter in the tournament.

Rahul Dravid became the only Indian to score four centuries in consecutive innings when he brought up his hundred in Mumbai against West Indies. His previous three hundreds, 115, 148 and 217, came on India's tour of England in 2002.

Rahul Dravid was awarded the Padma Shree Award by the Government of India in 2004.

One of the most prolific achievements of Dravid's long and illustrious career was being awarded the ICC Player of the Year and the Test Player of the Year at the inaugural awards ceremony held in 2004.

Till date, Rahul Dravid is the only batsman to have registered a hundred in every Test paying nation. He achieved this rare feat during his century knock against Bangladesh in Chittagong in December 2004.

Rahul Dravid became only the sixth batsmen in the history of ODI cricket to scale the 10,000 peak.

Rahul Dravid became only the sixth batsman in Test history to enter the 10,000 club during his century knock at Chepauk against South Africa in 2007.

During India's dismal tour of England in 2011, Dravid became only the third Indian to carry his bat through an innings during his knock of unbeaten 146 in the fourth Test at The Oval.

He is only cricketer to have made his debut and retired in the same game in T20 cricket.

Rahul Dravid became only the second cricketer, after Sachin Tendulkar, to accumulate 13,000 runs in Test cricket. He achieved this feat in his 160th Test.

Dravid finished with 13,288 runs at an average of 52.31 from 164 Test matches.

In a rare achievement for a batsman, out of his first 32 hundreds, only one came in a losing cause.

Dravid became the first player to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket at the number three position.

Rahul Dravid is the only non-Australian cricketer to address the Bradman Oration. He delivered the Bradman Oration last year on December 14 at the War memorial in Canberra.

After the legendary Don Bradman, Rahul Dravid, during India's tour of England in 2011, became only the second non-English cricketer to have hit 3 or more centuries in a two different test series.

World Records of Dravid:

Rahul Dravid holds the world record for facing the most number of deliveries in Test cricket - 31,258 .

There have been only two 300+ partnerships in the history of ODI cricket and both have featured Rahul Dravid! Dravid added 318 runs with Sourav Ganguly against Sri Lanka at Taunton during the 1999 World Cup to register the then highest partnership record for any wicket. Six months down the line, he bettered that record with none other than Sachin Tendulkar as two scripted together the mammoth 331 run-stand against New Zealand at Hyderabad.

Rahul Dravid holds the world record for most number of catches, 210, by a non-wicket-keeper fielder in Test cricket. In fact, he is the only one with a double century of catches. He picked up his 200th catch in the Durban test against South Africa in December 2010, after catching Dale Steyn off Harbhajan Singh

Rahul Dravid holds the world record for being involved in most number of century stands in Test cricket. In fact, 19 of his 88 century partnerships have been with a single partner, Sachin Tendulkar, another world record for a pair.

Dravid holds the Indian record for 93 successive matches without missing any Test since debut. In fact, he held the world record for 93 matches until Adam Gilchrist overtook him.

Rahul Dravid holds the world record for most number of consecutive innings (120) without scoring a duck.

We miss you Jammy......

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar - Master Blaster retires from ODIs

Some days back, when the cricketing legend, and perhaps the "Most Looked At" and Celebrated individual of independent India, decided to hang his boots from the limited overs format of cricket, here are certain unique facts and figures about the Master Blaster to pay him a tribute.

However, Sachin and Records are now nothing but synonyms, surely if it is about runs and centuries, averages and boundaries, cricketing spirit and awards, the outcome would be obvious and expected. Therefore, here’s some research over the longevity of the Little Master.

Ever since the maestro debuted on 15 Nov 1989, the following has changed apart from cricket in India. This analysis is simply to derive the longevity of the athlete and also to recognise the pain and effort the legend has indulged in to represent (and make proud) the tricolour.
 

• India's GDP has grown by 453% since Sachin faced the first ball against Pakistan in Karachi 23 years back
• 41 crore new Indians have been born during Sachin's long career, taking the country's population to 126 crore, a whopping 48% increase.
• We were struggling as a nation when he came to power (yes, cricket has became a power in India). Our foreign reserves were at 5.83 billion dollars, Now at 280 billion dollars (become 48 times).
• Sensex has reached from 1050 to 18600
• Sachin was the 74th Indian to wear the ODI cap. Now we have 275, added 200 during his career. More than 70% of new additions have already retired.
• At World Cups he has been more prolific than anywhere else, his total tally at WCs (2278 Runs) is 30.6% greater than his closest and arch rival Ricky Ponting (1743 runs). And if you think he has played more, he has played 1 match less than Ponting in WCs. He has also hit 6 centuries and 21 Half tons.
• Sachin's runs in WCs are more than any other player's (Ok we all know that), but what's more exciting is that his runs scored in WCs is greater than runs scored by as many as 8 test playing teams.

Paddy Upton, former mental conditioning coach and Gary Kirsten’s assistant coach who has seen Sachin up close during his stint where India won World Cup recently writes after Sachin announces his retirement from the One dayers as below:

“It was on the Proteas team bus that I read about Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement from ODI cricket. I found myself reflecting on my three years of working with him. To me, the opportunity was a privilege. So I thought I’d share some of my reflection here.

When I addressed the Indian cricket team for the first time (in 2008), I started by explaining that I did not see them as ‘cricketers’, but as human beings, each with many facets. Being a talented cricketer is only a part of who they are. They may also be someone’s brother, son, friend, parent or partner, and each is a unique emotional, intellectual and spiritual being. I reminded them that they were born with their talent; call it God-given, which is not an achievement but a blessing. The achievement comes when they tirelessly study, train and practice to develop that talent.

During 2008-2011 I watched Sachin epitomize developing a talent. He paid more attention to and invested more time into practicing his batting than any other player. He never once cut a corner in his preparation for a game, making sure he attended to every detail.  After nearly two decades in the international game he had earned the right stay at the hotel and rest while some of his teammates attended our trademark ‘optional’ practices. Yet he never did. Not a week went by where any player, youngsters included, hit more balls in practice. Add this attention to detail and impeccable work ethic to his extraordinary God-given talent, and it doesn’t take much to figure out why he is so successful.

       

As mentioned, being an outstanding cricketer is a part, but not all, of the man.

When someone becomes a top class athlete, it does not mean they automatically become a special human. Each one starts out as an ordinary person who happens to be blessed with an extraordinary talent. To become a special person requires that they intentionally develop and mature themselves as a person just as they would work on mastering their profession.

It is fairly common that a cricketer (or any sportsmen, businessmen, politician) who achieves success is lured into falsely viewing himself as a special person, believing he is more important than others by virtue of the fact he can hit a cricket ball more sweetly, and because others may treat him as more special. In India, the amount of adulation, admiration and hero-worship that is lavished on national cricketers poses a huge challenge to their humility. None have been hero-worshipped and admired as Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. He is more worshipped than some of the Hindu Gods. A priest at an ODI once brandished a banner saying, “Sorry God, but I love Sachin more than you.”

With his unassailable statistics and virtual deification, Sachin has earned the right to believe and act like he is special. But he does not. And it is this characteristic that impressed me at least as much as the Little Master’s statistics, milestones and awe-inspiring performances.

Despite his God-like status, in a country that sometimes overvalues power and status, Sachin exudes a humble, feet-on-the-ground approach. Early in my tenure with the team and during a one-on-one session with him, he spoke of a mantra that he lives by and that his father had passed to him as a young man. He granted me permission to share it.

He told me that, “who I am as a person, my nature is permanent, my results on the field are temporary – they will go up and go down. It is more important that I am consistent as a person, this I can control, my results I cannot”. He added that, “people will criticise me for my results, and will soon forget them, but they will always remember the impact I have on them as a person. This will last forever.”

And so the most mobbed, harassed, pestered and interrupted person in India, rather than expecting kingly treatment from others, is constantly mindful of treating others well and respectfully. During one tour I was entering a hotel elevator with Sachin to depart for a match. A very nervous mom asked if she could take a picture of him with her two young children. We risked being late for the bus, but Sachin obliged, letting the elevator go without him. The nervous mom was shaking so much she couldn’t get the camera to work. I was about to help Sachin out by rushing him along, when he turned to me and said, ‘Pads won’t you help her with the camera, help her to get a nice picture.’ Most who know him have an abundance of similar stories.

He shares his professionalism and teaches respect. During a net practice, a young Ishant Sharma kicked the ball in frustration after a poorly executed delivery. Sachin calmly went over, picked the ball up and returned it to Ishant, telling him in gentle manner, “it is because of this ball that you have what you have got in life, without this ball you have nothing. Treat it with the respect it is due.”

Fast forward to a meeting during India’s triumphant 2011 ICC World Cup campaign. We’re discussing cricket and life, and some of the senior players are asked to share the most significant event in their careers. Sachin’s significant event left me with a lump in my throat.

It happened soon after he was selected to play for India as a 16-year-old, and had returned to his Ranji Trophy team. A 16 year-old friend and teammate approached him and said ‘I speak on behalf of your friends. We know that you are a better cricketer than us, but since you were selected to play for India, you have been acting as if you are a better person than us. We don’t think it is a good thing for you to do.” Sachin marked this comment as one of the most significant events of his career, helping him to realize at a very young age that being a good cricketer did not mean he was a special person. He continues to live this lesson. As a veteran of over 22 years of international cricket, he treats junior teammates as fellow men, including them in conversations, showing an interest in their well-being, asking them questions and helping them with their game.

When someone with an extraordinary God-given talent adds to it an incredibly professional, detailed and tirelessly high work ethic, brilliance arises. The world has known just one Einstein, Mozart, van Gogh, Michael Jackson and Tendulkar. When someone with brilliance adds strength of character, humility, respectfulness to being an all-round good person, then the world is blessed with not just sporting greatness, but true greatness. Arise Sachin Tendulkar.”

Here are a few very popular and noteworthy quotes about him:

I am one of those fortunate people who have seen Bradman and Tendulkar bat in my lifetime and in my opinion Tendulkar is the best batsman I have seen in my life - Hanif Mohammed

Technically, you can't fault Sachin. Seam or spin, fast or slow nothing is a problem - Geoff Boycott

You get him out and half the battle is won - Arjuna Ranatunga

He is a tremendous cricketer. He is young and has got a lot of ability. He's got his own style. He has got the temperament for big cricket and I hope that he goes from strength to strength - Clive Lloyd

I had to remind Gary Kristen often that he was in the covers to field against Sachin not to applaud him - Hansie Cronje

I have seen GOD, he bats at no.4 for India in Tests - Mathew Hayden

When you bowl at him you are not just trying to get him out, you are trying to impress him - Andrew Flintoff

Sachin is a genius. I'm a mere mortal - Brian Charles Lara

I am fortunate that I've to bowl at him only in the nets - Anil Kumble

India me aap Prime Minister ko ek Baar Katghare me khada kar sakte hain..Par Sachin Tendulkar par Ungli nahi utha Sakte - Navjot Singh Sidhu

He can play that leg glance with a walking stick also - Waqar Younis

Sachin Tendulkar has often reminded me of a veteran army colonel who has many medals on his chest to show how he has conquered bowlers all over the world - Allan Donald

There are 2 kinds of batsmen in the world. One Sachin Tendulkar. Two all the others - Andy Flower

If Sachin plays well...India sleeps well - Harsha Bhogle

I would go to bed having nightmares of Sachin dancing down the ground and hitting me for sixes - Shane Warne

Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don't know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their TV sets and switch off their lives - British Broadcasting Corporation

The number of innings of his (Tendulkar's) I have been able to sit back and watch, I think he is an amazing player. Look at his stats and records and it's quite incredible for someone to have stayed in the game for 20 years.. He has set benchmarks for guys like me to chase him and get as close as we can. If I had to last 20 years, I would probably be batting in a wheelchair - Ricky Ponting

The joy he brings to the millions of his countrymen, the grace with which he handles all the adulation and the expectations and his innate humility - all make for a one-in-a-billion individual - Glen McGrath

Test cricket is bloody hard work, especially when you've got Sachin batting with what looks like a three metre wide bat - Michael Hussey

      Viv Richards could terrorise an attack with pitiless brutality, Lara could dissect bowlers with surgical and Magical strokes, Tendulkar can take an attack apart with towering simplicity. From the start he had an uncanny way of executing his strokes perfectly. Tendulkar was born to bat - Peter Roebuck

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to breathe the same air as you do - Shah Rukh Khan

I'll see god when I die but till then I'll see Sachin - A Banner during a match in Sharjah

Commit all your sins when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the lord is watching - A Banner in one of the matches in Sydney

      Sachin’s Statistics:

Full name Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

Born April 24, 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra

Current age 39 years 248 days

Major teams India, Asia XI, Mumbai, Mumbai Indians,Yorkshire

Nickname Tendlya, Little Master

Playing role Top-order batsman

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm offbreak, Legbreak googly

Height 5 ft 5 in

Education Sharadashram Vidyamandir School

In a nutshell Perhaps the most complete batsman and the most worshipped cricketer in the world, Tendulkar holds just about every batting record worth owning in the game, including those for most runs and hundreds in Tests and ODIs, and most international runs.

Batting and fielding:

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	194	320	32	15645	248*	54.32			51	66		67	114	0
ODIs	463	452	41	18426	200*	44.83	21367	86.23	49	96	2016	195	140	0
T20Is	1	1	0	10	10	10.00	12	83.33	0	0	2	0	1	0
First-class	299	474	48	24701	248*	57.98			79	112			184	0
List A	551	538	55	21999	200*	45.54			60	114			175	0
Twenty20	77	77	10	2440	100*	36.41	2008	121.51	1	15	313	31	24	0

Bowling:

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	194	141	4186	2459	45	3/10	3/14	54.64	3.52	93.0	0	0	0
ODIs	463	270	8054	6850	154	5/32	5/32	44.48	5.10	52.2	4	2	0
T20Is	1	1	15	12	1	1/12	1/12	12.00	4.80	15.0	0	0	0
First-class	299		7551	4351	70	3/10		62.15	3.45	107.8		0	0
List A	551		10230	8478	201	5/32	5/32	42.17	4.97	50.8	4	2	0
Twenty20	77	8	93	123	2	1/12	1/12	61.50	7.93	46.5	0	0	0

      

      In the End, I can only say that his contributions to the sport has been something that the whole nation and the world will look up to and the little master will inspire the generations to come.

      Thank you so much for giving all Indians and people all over the world a reason to watch Cricket. Sachin might be a chapter in the history of Test cricket with other legends but Sachin himself is the History of ODIs.